BEH 0009 - Science and Pseudoscience in Autism
Course Description
Instructor: Thomas Zane, Ph.D., BCBA-DBACB CEUs: 1
Autism treatment has long been known as a ‘fad magnet’ that attracts well-vetted empirically based effective treatments, but unfortunately, also attracts ill-advised, ineffective, and unethical treatments. Parents and caregivers seek effective ways of teaching skills, maximizing independence, and improving the quality of life for individuals with autism. They assume those professionals who have degrees, certifications, and visibility in the field know what they are doing and believe the hype and marketing that service providers disseminate about the methods they use. The proponents of all autism treatments assert that their treatments will work. They want parents and caregivers to be hopeful that their particular treatments will meet the goals and desires of those seeking treatment. However, the fact is that some treatment providers can only provide the hype without also delivering the effective outcomes of their therapy. Hype is freely given. Real hope, gleaned from evidenced-based strategies that produce objectively measured positive outcomes, is harder to come by.
Learner Outcomes
- Define science and pseudoscience.
- Describe the differences between the two and give examples of each.
- Describe criteria for evaluating treatments so that science-based treatments are selected, and treatments based on pseudoscience will be rejected.
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